Sling shots have been used since ancient times. A traditional sling shot comprises a handle and pair of arms diverging therefrom to form a "Y" configuration, generally. To the distal ends of the arms are connected one end of elastic straps with the straps joined together at a pouch useful for holding a projectile. In operation, the sling shot is oriented somewhere between the handle in horizontal position to the handle in vertical position. For purposes of this patent, the handle is to be considered to be in horizontal orientation with the one of the arms, designated the upper arm, above the other, or lower, arm.
The traditional sling shot is without a sighting mechanism. A user simply estimates a distance to a target and elevates the sling shot a degree the user guesses to be sufficient for the sling shot projectile to reach the target. With accuracy and reproducibility needed for sport shooting and hunting, this traditional sighting approach is lacking.
There have been sighting mechanisms suggested for sling shots. Typically, they comprise a device attached to the sling shot arms which makes it difficult to align the sling shot sighting mechanism on the target. To allow the projectile a passage through the sling shot between the arms without hitting the sighting mechanism requires the sighting mechanism to be somewhat offset from the target. Accuracy is therefore compromised to the degree the target cannot be directly aligned. To partially overcome the offset of the sighting mechanism, another approach is to place the sighting mechanism between the arms, essentially in the path, at least potentially, of the projectile as it passes between the arms. To align the target precisely with the sighting mechanism between the sling shot arms is to place the sighting mechanism directly in the path of the projectile. This is inherently unsafe for the user and will at least somewhat alter the path of the projectile.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a sighting mechanism precisely alignable with the target and calibrated to compensate for distance to a target.
It is a further object that the sighting mechanism not be in the path or nearly in the path of the sling shot projectile.
It is another object that the sighting mechanism provide for reproducible sighting and projectile positioning toward a target.
It is another object that the sighting mechanism be calibrated through a range of distances to targets.
It is a final object that the sighting mechanism be adjustable to calibrate the sighting mechanism to compensate for a change in conditions, such as wind speed or shot size and weight.